When you play a sport like soccer, football, or basketball, the occasional injury is just part of the game. Ankle injuries are really common; they may occur when you twist as you land on your foot or as you land funny after a jump. Some ankle injuries are nothing more than minor strains that resolve themselves within a day or two, but others require medical attention. In order to assess the damage and prevent it from becoming worse, here's what you should do after you twist your ankle.
1. Stop Playing
Do not just keep playing and hope the pain will go away on its own. Continuing to play on your ankle can just make the damage worse. And with your compromised ankle, you are more likely to fall and cause other injuries. Sit out the rest of the game.
2. Get It on Ice
If the injury does happen to be serious, getting ice on the ankle immediately will help prevent the swelling from becoming too serious. The easiest way to ice your ankle quickly is to just immerse your whole foot in a bucket of ice water. Keep it there for at least 20 minutes. It will feel cold initially, but then the shock will wear off.
3. Assess the Inflammation and Pain
After you've iced the ankle, look at how much it has swollen. If there is no noticeable swelling and you can comfortably stand on your foot (maybe with a little bit of pain, but nothing major), then your injury is probably fairly minor. You can wait and see how it is the next day. If the pain gets worse or you can't walk easily, you should seek medical care.
If the swelling is noticeable or you can't walk on your foot without serious pain, then you need to seek medical care. Your best bet is often to go to an urgent care center. They offer faster service than the emergency room, typically.
4. Take It Easy
Even if you do not need medical care, make sure you take it easy on your ankle for a few days. You can do some light walking, but don't play sports or run.
If you do seek medical attention, follow your doctor's instructions regarding time off and care. If they recommend you wear a cast or a splint for a certain amount of time, do so. Protecting the ankle will allow it to heal. For more information, contact companies like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates, P.C.